Signs are strong that releasing feature films through “an exclusive theatrical window remains the best approach to maximize profitability for content producers,” said National CineMedia CEO Tom Lesinski on a Q3 investor call Monday. NCM bills itself as the largest cinema advertising network in the U.S. Amid the “significant” revenue lost to streaming piracy, “it has become increasingly clear that studios are leaving money on the table with their day-to-day streaming strategies,” said the former Warner Home Entertainment executive. “These realities may underlie recent announcements by all major studios that they will maintain or reconsider an exclusive cinema release window for most, if not all, their films in 2022.” Lesinski also sees signs that “some of the new non-studio streaming services will start to consider theatric release for some of their productions,” he said. “With audiences returning to the cinema, the strong 2022 film slate and continued TV ratings challenges, we are very well-positioned to make NCM a larger part of the marketing plans of national brands and local and regional businesses.”

Imax Enhanced will join the Disney+ library Friday, bringing 13 Marvel titles in Imax’s expanded aspect ratio to the streaming service, said Disney and Imax Enhanced parent Xperi Monday. The wider 1:90:1 aspect ratio is said to offer up to 26% “more picture” for select sequences, which Imax says means “more of the action is visible on screen,” as filmmakers intended. In the future, the collaboration will deliver more enhanced audio and visual technology to Disney+, including Imax sound by Xperi subsidiary DTS. Colliers analyst Steven Frankel expects similar Imax agreements to follow for Paramount+, Peacock and HBO Max, given Imax's strong relationship with the streaming services' parent companies, he said in a Monday investor note. The Imax announcement enables the company to build out a "high margin licensing stream," he said. In a limited-time offer through Sunday, Disney+ is offering $1.99 for the first month for new subscribers; the monthly fee goes to $7.99 after the trial.

FuboTV’s ability to offer “comprehensive entertainment" and sports viewing is a “real differentiator,” and its focus on the sports viewer and bettors should accelerate subscriber growth, Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter wrote investors Friday. The virtual MVPD, which reports Q3 earnings Tuesday, tripled its subscriber base in two years, and Wedbush believes it will take two more years to double it from there. “As the company learns more about the viewing habits of its audience, it should be able to exploit its data set to drive ad [average revenue per user] even higher,” said the analyst, saying Wedbush hasn't modeled any revenue contribution from sports wagering, which should "eventually add meaningfully" to high-margin revenue growth.

ViacomCBS streaming audiences are growing rapidly, but so are its streaming content expenses, the company said Thursday, announcing Q3 results. CEO Bob Bakish said streaming content expenses will be double in 2021 what they were in 2020, and continue to grow to $5 billion by 2024. Overall revenue rose 13% year over year, to $6.6 billion. Streaming revenue topped $1 billion in the quarter for the first time, with a 62% increase. Global streaming subscribers exceeded 46 million, adding 4.3 million in the quarter. Chief Financial Officer Naveen Chopra said pay subscriber additions will be higher in Q4, due to demand for Paramount+ content. Bakish said a deal announced with T-Mobile, where every T-Mobile postpaid customer gets a free year of Paramount+ Essential, is part of the strategy of exposing consumers to Paramount+ as its content is ramped up. He said Pluto TV's lunch in Italy last week was part of the that service's international expansion, and Paramount+ will launch next year in the U.K. and Germany and be in 45 markets globally by end of 2022. ViacomCBS stock closed at $35.90, down 4.4%.

FubuTV's gaming platform launched Wednesday with Fubo Sportsbook in Iowa, said the virtual MVPD's Fubo Gaming subsidiary. The sportsbook is available for sports bettors 21 years and older to wager on "thousands" of professional and collegiate sporting events using the Fubo Sportsbook mobile app, which is integrated with fuboTV’s live TV streaming platform. “As the industry continues to expand, it is increasingly important to meet sports fans’ growing demand for personalized and immersive experiences," said Fubo Gaming President Scott Butera. The company also has market access agreements in Pennsylvania, Indiana, New Jersey and Arizona and expects to announce Fubo Sportsbook in additional markets this year and in 2022, subject to regulatory approvals. Legalized U.S. sports betting revenue is expected to grow from $2.1 billion this year to $10.1 billion in 2028, said the company, citing Gabelli and U.S. Census Bureau statistics.

Roku's decision to shut its Pornhub and other pornography channels early next year is a "victory for survivors of sexual exploitation," the National Center on Sexual Exploitation said. NCOSE has been pressuring Roku shareholders in 2021 and the company for years, said CEO Dawn Hawkins. "Roku can now have no excuse of ignorance that they are partnering with the world’s most prolific sexual exploiters by hosting channels" for Pornhub and other MindGeek subsidiaries, NCOSE's U.K. subsidiary and other groups wrote Roku CEO Anthony Wood in March. Roku and MindGeek didn't comment now. Roku was scheduled to have had its quarterly call later Wednesday.

LG will offer its webOS smart TV owners in more than 80 countries a free three-month trial of Apple TV+, it said Tuesday. The trial offer runs Nov. 15-Feb. 13 for owners of LG 4K and 8K smart TVs, model years 2016-2021, said the company. Customers can access the offer via on-screen instructions in the LG Content Store or by clicking the Apple TV+ banner on the LG TV home menu, it said.

FuboTV announced integration with Dentsu International’s M1 identity and data platform, enabling advertisers to use M1’s individual, device and panel data across fuboTV’s connected TV inventory, it said Monday. Brands can reach fuboTV’s sports-based audience “that can’t be accessed through traditional television,” it said. Combining fuboTV’s first-party addressable data with M1’s platform creates a "customizable and precise alternative to reach target audiences without relying on cookies,” said Diana Horowitz, senior vice president-advertising sales. Dentsu can deliver “targeted ads, in appropriate content, to an engaged customer, and from there we can measure how well those ads worked,” said Cara Lewis, Dentsu head-U.S. media investment. M1 can solve issues including fraud and cookie duplication “while improving ad efficiency and effectiveness,” said the companies.

MVPDs carrying more Jewish-themed programming can "foster community & help combat the scourge of antisemitism against Jewish people," Rep. Kathleen Rice, D-N.Y., tweeted Thursday. She noted a series of letters sent this week to Comcast, Charter, Cox Communications, Altice, Dish Network, AT&T and Verizon asking about plans to increase Jewish-themed programming and seeking responses by Nov. 9. Co-signers of the letters were fellow Democratic Reps. Grace Meng of New York, Ted Deutch of Florida and California's Ted Lieu and Brad Sherman.

Vizio added new genres to the Vizio Features exclusive content available on its WatchFree+ streaming service, it said Wednesday. Joining home and food and crime genres are gaming and anime, movies and TV, and interests and lifestyle, it said. The company is pitching Features as a way for advertisers to serve targeted content to viewers. Steve DeMain, vice president-engagement, called Features a “good business model” that delivers content viewers want across multiple genres, building “great sponsorship opportunities for brands,” while helping content partners generate new revenue. The free streaming service will add more channels and experiences focused on home and do-it-yourself, live concerts and “naturescape” programming in coming months, said Vizio Wednesday.